Tuesday, May 24, 2016

So this week was a bit nuts. I have some bittersweet news for all of you. My time with Elder Kaufusi and being there in San Julián has been cut short. On saturday in our morning english class we suddenly received a call from the assistants and so i quickly handed the class over to kaufusi to go answer. I got emergency changes. And so i was called out to be a zone leader in another zone. And, by an ironic twist of fate, I am back in Layco. So now I am here in the area Central with Elder Gallardo as the zone leaders of layco. Gallardo is from orange county and hes actually 24. he came to the mission a little bit after me so ive known him for all of his life. the area is super good and has been progressing a lot lately so we are excited to continue this work here (he is actually new to the area as well) so saturday right after the english class i left and had no time to say bye to anyone but a few members and javier and catherine. we were all pretty sad but we understand how these things work. this weekend was actually stake conference here in layco so i have already been blessed to be able to see just about everyone from here, including my convert gerson. it was great catching up with him. its a bit overwhelming to just suddenly become a zone leader. also strange considering all of the great plans we had in motion for san julián. i was really wondering about all that that has happened and funnily (is that even a word?) i found a humbling answer in one of my favorite talks from the october session of conference. elder renlund spoke in his talk about his calling to be an apostle. i wish i had the actual issue with me to quote exactly what he said because he definitely is more eloquent than a 21 year old kid from california who only speaks spanish now...but anyway, in regards to his apostolic call he said that his older brother had called him when he once was called to be a bishop (or maybe stake president, again i wish i had the issue) and admonished him that his calling most likely had nothing to do with anything that he had done or achieved, but rather that the Lord had something planned to do through him. elder renlund then continues to say that the circumstances are probably similar or equivalent in his calling to apostleship. and now, I, as the sudden new zone leader, can say the same. I know that this call that I only just received to have this leadership responsibility has nothing to do with what I have achieved or done. I can name numerous missionaries in this mission that are more deserving or qualified to hold this position. But in these last few days i have tried to keep my thoughts in the fact that I am here so that the Lord can accomplish some work through me. And perhaps, to also teach me a lesson. We all know I have a lot more learning to do. In any case I have a great amount of feelings in regard to these changes in the mission; anxious, excited, sad, humbled, confused, surprised, happy. but we all need to magnify our callings in the church no matter how big or small, and that is what i plan to do with mine for however much time i have to stay here. love you all so much!

elder abilez

pupusa count: 0...........some people in layco said i lost weight while i left, others said i gained. i, however, feel the same

we bleed blue! (kaufusi and i made custom dodgers jerseys and shared with the familia baires. unfortunately kaufusi and i never got the chance to take a picture together with em or to show the backside...)

Elder Gallardo and I! as of about 2 minutes ago...

quick goodbyes with the mancia family (below) and the familia bonilla avila (javier and catherine) (above)